Winch apparatus has long been used to secure straps to retain loads and objects, as on trucks and trailers. A winch assembly is typically secured in a bracket which is typically welded or otherwise secured to a base, such as the bed or other portion of a truck trailer or the like.
At least one strap is attached to and secured to a winch drum wherein registering openings are provided through which the winch bar is extended. The winch bar is manually operated to rotate the drum to tighten the strap or straps to retain an object or load.
A long standing problem has been unintentional or undesirable rotation of the winch bar elongate handle portion in the drum openings, when the bar is not manually held. With such rotation, which is typically in a conical path because of an inclined angle between an insertion portion of the bar and an elongate handle portion, the bar rotates in a conical pattern. Hazards to persons and property thus result, and there has been a history of many injuries to persons and property caused by the freely rotating winch bar.
The present invention eliminates such hazardous rotation of a winch bar in the openings of a winch drum. The winch drum openings, comprise at least one pair of openings in diametrically opposite positions in an annular winch drum member. The openings are polygonal, and typically hexagonal or square, so the winch bar cannot rotate because the winch bar insertion portion has a cross-sectional configuration like those of the openings in the drum member.